Posts Tagged ‘self healing’

The sun is shining. The sky is blue. Summer is just around the corner (at least on this side of the globe). And thus, with a smile and the sweet promise of a vacation, the self loathing begins.

Oddly enough, poor self image has nothing to do with our actual size. Some of my most well rounded friends are constantly complaining about the way they look. My sister (who I swear can wear her 6 year-old-and-skinny daughter’s clothing) has been guilty of self bashing her figure as well. I complain too, but that’s understandable 😉

Summer is the season that brings out the worst of our self image and this is not surprising at all. Cute tank tops and bathing suits are hanging on department stores’ displays. Magazines are filled with perfect photoshopped images of skinny models. Fashion becomes less forgiving and there is less material for camouflage…

Therefore I suggest that just before the season officially starts we will try to nip our self loathing habit in the bud.

For this week’s journaling prompt write a love letter to your body.

Write everything you love about your body. What are your strongest features?

Write how your body has been there for you when times were tough.

Write how your body represents who you are and makes you stand out in the crowd.

Write about the way your body represents your hard work, strong will and resistance.

There are times in life when we feel the need to take flight. We wish we could grow wings and fly away to our a safe haven.

There are numerous reasons to take flight. A difficult phase in life. An impossible struggle. A hurtful situation – either physically (i.e. facing a bully…) or psychologically. An unsuccessful business move or a general feeling of discomfort with the present situation.

Safe havens can be perceived in two different ways:

An actual place you go to, when you want to get detached. A book. The park. The beach. A mountain trail. Etc.

A fantastic place where you’d rather be, if only you could teleport yourself there…

For this week’s journaling prompt you can take the notion of taking flight either way.

Where do you go to when you feel the need to hide?

From which situations would you like to take flight?

Have you ever wanted to disappear? When? What happened?

If you were able to grow wings and fly, where would you go to?

When I feel overwhelmed I either start painting or read a book I feel connected to. I wish I could teleport myself to a place where only pure goodness exists (I’m not sure they’ll let me in…) Being next to my nephew is close enough…

Share –

Where (and when) would you take flight to? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

One semester I took a course on the human mind. The professor was a clinical psychologist and the purpose of this class was to give us a glimpse into the mind of potential witnesses. I’ll let you know it was not my strongest subject… I excelled at taxation and business law. Please do not hold that against me… However, it was one of the more interesting courses I took (Along with modern physics and forensic medicine 101).

One of the more fascinating facts I have learned in that class is that the human memory is quite flimsy. A person can paint a picture of something that has never happened in his head, yet if the picture is detailed and vivid enough, this person will be able to embed it into his memory and won’t be able to tell the difference between this made up memory and an event he actually experienced. Scary, huh?

For this week’s journaling prompt I would like to play and write down a detailed memory which has never been…Play along with me – AT YOUR OWN RISK.

My fictional memory is:

It was 7pm. I had just come back home. All day long my belly had been tossing and turning ever since I had heard about their absence. I was sitting in the porch with my mother and her friend when I heard: “They’re back. They got dehydrated and lost their way – but they are back now”. I was filled with joy and the knot in my belly had finally untied. They were found. They are alive!

Paul Simon has brilliantly described what the sound of silence means to him. I , however, have a different take on it. These words make me think about what happens in my head when the outside world is completely quiet.

Whereas the outside world is still, there is an absolute mayhem inside. When my mind is clear of any external interruption then all my doubts, self criticism and panic creep in with an uproar.

While everything outside is silent – the inside is shouting its lungs out. When I’m weak and vulnerable – I’m crumpling up at the self-bashing turmoil. But when am feeling strong and potent – I’m talking back, which makes the inside of my mind even louder…

For this week’s journaling prompt tune in and write down how does the sound of silence resonate with you?

Share –

What do you hear when there is silence?

What organ reigns supreme when everything around is on mute? Is it your heart or your mind? (or another one altogether, perhaps your ear?)

For the hearing impaired – how do you deal with the silence you are living in? I’m in awe and very anxious to learn about your way of coping with the sound of silence.